Chapter 5.
Once we were done using and enjoying the State Fair Respite, we started walking towards Show Town. Show Town is a substantial section of the WOE containing theaters, attractions, restaurants, and a few shops. For directional purposes, if I stand in the middle of the Complex facing the World Stage, I have the State Fair surrounding me, with the Darkroom behind me, Fun Town USA in front of me (behind the World Stage), Show Town to my left, and The Continents to my right (view the WOE Map below). The Harmony Theater is connected to the Complex and sits to the left of Fun Town USA. Show Town, Fun Town USA, The Continents, and the Dark Room all have their own entrances from the State Fair. Their operating times vary. Show Town and The Continents are both open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The State Fair and The Dark Room are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Fun Town USA opens from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. On special event nights, each section stays open two hours later and sometimes up to six hours later.
The World Stage runs continuous acts from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Everything from music, comedy, circus acts, magic, dancing; you name it. These acts come from all over the world and are brought to the WOE for a specified period. They live on the property and perform several times a day, up to four days a week. Then they have time for practicing and to enjoy themselves too.
Many guests sit in the World Stage venue and watch acts perform throughout the day. Some guests sit there for hours, as the entertainment is varied and non-stop. In fact, the World Stage actually has three stages. While one is being used for performing, the other two are being loaded or unloaded for acts that have performed or are about to perform. The emcee is usually to the left or the right of the performance stage, so when an act is finished performing, the lights on the stage go out, and the light on the emcee comes on. The stage then rotates clock-wise and turns to the next stage. The World Stage has an incredible sound and light system, complete with video screens, which show multiple views and images of those performing.
Throughout the day, many entertainers who live on the property also take the stage for one or two songs or to perform a trick or two. Even comedians and other artists take the stage for a short time. Some big-name entertainers who aren’t performing at the Harmony Theater that day may perform part or all of their show on the World Stage, without announcement. Performing an entire show is usually advertised and done during special events.
We walked toward Show Town and entered through the massive arch that connects the two main attraction buildings (TV & Movie Stage Tour and Journey Through Sports). Right in front of you is The Comedic Co., a large building hosting the comedy museum and two comedy stages; one with tables and one with theater seating. There are also several restaurants; one being comedy themed with jokes being played on customers for entertainment and the other is a rooftop restaurant with splendid views of Show Town.
The Comedy Co. is in the middle of Show Town, as the rest of the attractions and theaters wrap around the perimeter. As we walked to our right, we started walking by the TV & Movie Stage Tour. This one-hour tour, featuring 16-passenger classic car vehicles, tours TV studios and soundstages. I will tell you more when we ride it another day.
The Journey Through Sports attraction, which is on the other side of the main Show Town Arch, has a similar style attraction as the TV & Movie Stage Tour but uses golf cart type vehicles to move you around. The attraction takes you right up to the action of NFL Pro Football, MLB Baseball, NHL Hockey, NBA Basketball, PGA Golf, and NASCAR Racing. You can see how big the pro football players really are as you go in between them in the “line of scrimmage.” Your 16-passenger golf cart will race down the football field sidelines next to a receiver, as he races out to catch a ball. In baseball, you are right next to the batter at home plate and see a fastball come in at 98 MPH. Experience a hockey game as you ride onto the ice and the players skate around you. All the people are created using computer holograms and special effects. You feel like you are literally in the middle of the action.
But, the best part of Journey Through Sports is at the end, where you go onto a NASCAR speedway. Hold your ears, because here come the cars, right by you at 180 MPH. Then, you can actually ride a NASCAR and travel that speed. Due to the intensity of this ride, it is optional. When you climb into the 12-seat cars, (they have doors, so you don’t have to climb through the window) they are already running. About 6 cars are racing at a time. While there are 6 cars on the track, other cars are loading in Pit Row, getting ready for the next race. When the Green Flag drops, you take off. The cars get up to speed quickly. (The track used to be used for an attraction called the Bullet Train and travels through a tunnel under the Complex, out toward the Hotel Guest Parking Garage and back). The cars race each other and get up to the top speed of 180 MPH, then slow a bit, take the 30-degree embankment, and head back. The computer controls each cars speed, so there is a different winner in every race. When you cross the finish line, you have your picture taken and hear the roar of the crowd. You even get to do a few donuts. What an adrenaline rush! You may have never traveled so fast on land before.
Sports also has a room called a Meet and Greet Room, similar to what the Author’s Nook, TV & Movie Stage Tour, and the Harmony Theater have; where fans can listen to their favorite author, sports hero, musician, actor, etc., talk about their lives and careers. They also do a Q and A with the audience. Around 10 – 15 lucky guests are randomly selected at the end to meet the entertainer personally, get a free picture with him or her, and an autograph, all at no charge.
The day I was visiting Sports, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the Sports’ Guest and had several Meet and Greets throughout the day. At the Authors’ Nook, Stephen King was the guest, and at the Harmony Theater, Bon Jovi and Neil Peart from Rush were each offering their fans a real treat. Jeff Probst, the host of Survivor, was the TV and Movie Stage Tour Meet and Greet guest. The guests are usually visiting on the property for a few weeks at a time and just like their concerts, will do 3 – 4 shows or appearances per week. All the meet and greets take reservations in advance. The Sports, Authors Nook, and TV and Movie Stage Tour meet and greets are free, but there is an additional charge for the Harmony Theater if they are serving desserts, lunches, or dinners. The price is around $10 - $15 for WOE Members and $15 - $25 for non-members.
Show Town offers the best entertainment anywhere on earth. I really mean that! Many of the shows are written, produced, and directed on-site. The shows that come to the Broadway Theater are usually visiting from other parts of the country or world. Houdini’s Theater is a 1,200-seat theater geared specifically toward magic shows. There are at least six shows a day with several different magicians or illusionists. You will see shows that put Vegas to shame. Houdini’s Theater and the Broadway Theater each have a Live band that plays during each performance. Each also has their own themed restaurant and museum, as well as TV and Movie Stage Tour, Comedy Co., and Journey Through Sports.
The shows are all included in the price of admission (except for the Harmony Theater), and you need reservations. Seating at any show is randomly selected or self-selected, based on your height. Also, with any show at WOE; if you are not there on time, which is 5-minutes before the scheduled start of the show, you will be giving up your seat to a standby guest. If you show up between 5-minutes before and 5-minutes after show time, you will be offered a seat in the very back. If there are no more seats in the back, then you’re out of luck. All shows start exactly on-time. But the 10-minutes window allows for tardiness. But don’t be foolish and think you can make the show 5-minutes after scheduled show time, the doors are closed and locked. And if this happened at the Harmony Theater, you just lost your money on your purchased tickets. The chance of you being able to reschedule a show in Show Town is rare, so you will need to wait in the Stand-by-line and see who doesn’t show up. If you’re in the Stand-by-line at the Harmony Theater, you will not be charged for tickets unless you get in and get a seat.
As I stated earlier, cell phones at The WOE are really frowned upon, since they can be disruptive and can take your mind off relaxing and enjoying a show. They don’t ban cell phones but make them difficult to operate in most places. WOE has the proprietary technology to block phone calls or text in the shows. If a guest is caught using their phone or camera in a show or attraction, the show staff will turn your call button (usually located on the back of the seat in front of you) from a dim gray to a yellow color, warning you to put it away. This warning includes excessive talking. The light will remain on for several minutes. If you get a red light, you are to leave the Theater. Show staff will be waiting for you at the end of the aisle to escort you out. This is all done in a control booth in the back and, since they know who is sitting in what seat, if you don’t leave, you are likely facing a suspension to the WOE.
My advice: If you’re staying overnight at one of the hotels, leave your phone in the hotel safe. Don’t look at it the whole time you’re there. If there is an emergency back home, they can call your hotel’s concierge, and the staff will send a message to your EAD. After all, you’re on vacation or are there to have an enjoyable time. Not seeing a distracting phone screen and have it take your mind and attention away from the show. I’ve heard that on one occasion, they paused a show to escort an entire group out of the Theater. They then had their memberships suspended for a year. Of course, this was for really being disruptive and rude to the performers. Apparently, they had been drinking in their hotel rooms and then came to the Complex. After most shows, the cast comes out to meet the exiting guests for a handshake or a picture.
The Broadway Theater seats 2,400 guests and runs about 3 – 4 shows a day. A few of the shows are from Broadway. When they are touring, they will stop at the WOE for at least a month, if not longer. Playing today is The Phantom of the Opera and Annie. They also have custom shows that become so popular, they run for seven to eight months a year. Many WOE actors have been offered good jobs on Broadway in NY, but most decline, because they just love what they’re doing and where they’re doing it at, the WOE.
One of the coolest shows in Show Town is in the Hologram Theater. This Theater usually offers 2 – 3 different shows a day, showing each show 2 – 3 times. The shows are all automated with lighting, sound, and special effects. The 1,600-seat arena has the most sophisticated light and sound system anywhere in the world. It has over 30 million LED lights, 2,000 lasers, 600 Harmony Speakers, wind, fire, pyrotechnics, and unbelievable engineering. There are arms of lights and screens that rise from beneath the floor and lower from the ceiling.
Even the walls and ceiling have lights built into them, as well as every seat in the Theater. But, here’s the best part; the seats move up and down on large platforms, giving you different views of the floor and surrounding area. Believe me when I say, this is no fountain show. The shows, no matter which one you see, will blow your mind. There can be screens on fire and hologram lasers shooting everywhere, with the LED lights showing pictures of outer space from floor to ceiling and all around you.
A warning: Never, ever, take any drugs, especially hallucinogenic drugs, before going to the Hologram Theater or the super dance club; Metamorphoses. On more than one occasion, they have had to remove a guest during a show because they started “freaking out.” The special effects are so real, you don’t need drugs to get you to believe you’re in a different zip code or planet. The shows last about 50 minutes and rotate. They bring in a new show every year and have themed shows for Independence Day (all of July), Halloween, and the Holidays.
After walking around for a while, we took the elevator to the roof of the Comedy Co. to eat lunch at The Comedic View. This restaurant overlooks the right-hand portion of Show Town, so you can see The TV and Movie Stage Tour, The Hologram Theater and Houdini’s Theater. If you’re using your meal plan, you can order any entrée from the menu.
The meal plan entitles you to breakfast, lunch, and dinner at any restaurant in the Complex. Drinks are always free, and you get plenty of food with each meal. You can also add extra food to your order and pay extra, but believe me, you usually won’t have room. You can have the breakfast buffet at your hotel, lunch at the Complex, and order dinner to your suite if you’d like. You are also entitled to snacks throughout the day and the midnight dessert buffet at your hotel, all with the food plan.
After just five minutes of looking at our menu, our waitress came over and introduced herself. “Hi, I’m Julie, and I’ll be taking care of you for lunch today. May I take your drink order and bring you a free appetizer?” The appetizer is included in the meal plan and includes Onion rings, mozzarella sticks, and a few others. The honey rolls were free. We could choose one appetizer because we had at least two people eating with the meal plan. For every two people eating, you get one free appetizer. She also said,” You can have the baked, instead of fried, if you’d like. That includes the fries and onion rings.” She also told us about the healthy section of the menu that had wraps and salads. All the food items had a calorie count and the number of points if you’re on Weight Watchers, for those who wanted to stay on their diets on vacation. Julie was so nice and covered everything on the menu since we had never eaten at a restaurant at the Complex before. She spent nearly five minutes going over everything. Then she said to take some time to make up our minds, and she would be back in a few minutes to take our order. But before she left, she told us about the call button at the table; a little device sitting in the middle of the table that has a button to call your waitress or waiter. This saves you from having to watch for them when they pass back around or wait for them to come back to check on you. If Julie needs to go on a break, she hands her call button transponder to whoever is covering for her, which is usually the “float” waiter or waitress.
There is no tipping, so all they care about is making sure your service is terrific. If Julie is talking with guests and her paging device goes off, she can just hit the “busy” button, and the table request will then go to the “floater.” Or, if the floater is covering for someone else, then the supervisor, who may handle the request themselves or assign it to someone else. Each request is handled within two minutes or less. Julie came back with our drinks and appetizer and took our order. Once she knew what we wanted, she gave us a payment device called the Payment Cube, which allowed us to pay using our finger with our food plan. If you have someone in your party that isn’t on the food plan, they can pay separately. Julie brought our food on a cart and had everything ready to go. The cart has extra napkins, plates, utensils, butter, and other condiments. The cart was stocked, and Julie was prepared. Each entrée was covered for protection from germs and temperature. Our meal was terrific and fattening. As I mentioned earlier, we love our fatty food, so watching our weight on this vacation was out the window.
Once we finished our meal, Julie came back to take our plates and asked if we wanted anything else. We said we were stuffed. But I did ask her if I could interview her since I was on a working vacation. She said she would love to and could take her break in five minutes and meet us in the employee lounge. As we did the day before, we just got up from the table and walked out. I could get so used to this! No bill to pay and no tip to leave.
We found the employee lounge next to the kitchen and met Julie again. She invited us to have a seat on the couch. There were a few more employees in there, but they didn’t seem to mind and even chimed in. I explained to her and the others who I was and what I was doing. I told her I was going to interview Steven C., and she immediately had a huge smile on her face.
I said, “You know Steven C?”
She said, “I know him. Everyone knows him.”
I asked her, “Is that because he is good or bad, that everyone knows him?”
She said, “Oh, very good! In fact, this place is here, and I’m here because of him.”
I asked her to explain what she meant.
“Steven C. is the creative mastermind behind everything here at the WOE. Most everyone has been positively impacted by this place,” said Julie.
“I’ve heard about him, and I have an interview set-up with him, but I don’t know much about him yet. It seems like he’s not a public person,” I said.
“He’s not. He rarely gives speeches or heads up meetings with employees. He’ll show up to them, but seldom talks in front of a crowd.”
Jennifer asked Julie, “What is his official title or job responsibilities?”
“He’s referred to as the Executive Director of Entertainment and sometimes the President of Operations. No one knows exactly, because he never sends out e-mails that have a title after his name. He just signs his e-mails as Steven C. He’s not even listed in the management flow chart, but he can tell anyone what to do, and he can never be fired.”
Another employee in the employee lounge who overheard us, named Bobbie said, “Steven C. comes up with all the great ideas, everything from the attractions, shows, employee health care, the living community. Then he shares them with the members of management and the engineers, who then implement the idea or make changes. He’s also terrific with remembering names and can recall certain things about you from a conversation you had with him three years ago.”
Julie then said, “This place saved me and my family’s lives. They took my husband, son, and I from living in our car and gave us a place to stay with good jobs.”
I said, “How’d that happen?” Julie then told me her story.
“Three years ago, we were living in New York City. My husband, Jeb, was a lawyer for a big financial firm making over six figures a year. Our son, Jacob, was in private school, and I was a stay-at-home mom. Jeb’s firm got caught up in a federal inquiry and was then forced to pay millions in fines for illegal activities. The bad press caused the company to lose business, and subsequently, they down-sized.” Julie continued, “Jeb always thought something wasn’t right, but wasn’t that close to the situation to really know for sure. Once he lost his job, no one wanted to hire him because of all the negative publicity. Within six months, we had to move out of our apartment in New York City and into an apartment in New Jersey. I started waitressing to bring in some money. Jeb still couldn’t find work and tried taking his own life by shooting himself in the head. Fortunately, he didn’t kill himself but was in the ICU for six months. With no health insurance, we were sued by the hospital and lost everything but our older model car. I used to shower at rest stops, and we washed our clothes at laundry mats. We lived in our car for three weeks, because even though I was still working as a waitress, our credit was ruined, and we couldn’t get or afford another apartment.
Then one day, I waited on a customer named Roy. He told me he was an employee scout for the WOE and thought I was a great waitress. I told him my story, but he told me he already knew it. He said he talked to others who knew me. I knew it couldn’t have been my parents or Jeb’s parents, because we didn’t tell them what happened because of our pride and a few differences we had had with them in the past. Roy asked if I was interested in trying a temporary move to the WOE for three months and seeing how things work out. I said. ‘I’d love too!’”
Julie continued on and said, “The next day, Roy came back to the diner and handed me all the information, including plane tickets and $1,500. He said to get some new clothes and rent a hotel until the trip and donate the car. One week later, we were here and were put up in the employee apartments. Jeb was given a job in their legal department and gets medical treatment when he needs it, and I got a job waitressing here. Our son goes to school on the property. After the three-month trial, they moved us into a larger apartment, and soon, we will get a small house on the property. All paid for.”
Jennifer, Sally and I all sat there with our mouths open. I said, “That’s remarkable!”
Julie said, “That’s WOE. And Steven C. is behind how this place operates.”
Julie had to get back to work. So, we thanked and hugged her goodbye.
What a story and what a turn-around in someone’s life. As we headed back to our room for a rest, I said to Jennifer, “That was amazing!”
She said, “This place is amazing.”
I couldn’t wait to hear more stories and meet Steven C. This is going to be a truly remarkable experience.
Once we were done using and enjoying the State Fair Respite, we started walking towards Show Town. Show Town is a substantial section of the WOE containing theaters, attractions, restaurants, and a few shops. For directional purposes, if I stand in the middle of the Complex facing the World Stage, I have the State Fair surrounding me, with the Darkroom behind me, Fun Town USA in front of me (behind the World Stage), Show Town to my left, and The Continents to my right (view the WOE Map below). The Harmony Theater is connected to the Complex and sits to the left of Fun Town USA. Show Town, Fun Town USA, The Continents, and the Dark Room all have their own entrances from the State Fair. Their operating times vary. Show Town and The Continents are both open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The State Fair and The Dark Room are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Fun Town USA opens from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. On special event nights, each section stays open two hours later and sometimes up to six hours later.
The World Stage runs continuous acts from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Everything from music, comedy, circus acts, magic, dancing; you name it. These acts come from all over the world and are brought to the WOE for a specified period. They live on the property and perform several times a day, up to four days a week. Then they have time for practicing and to enjoy themselves too.
Many guests sit in the World Stage venue and watch acts perform throughout the day. Some guests sit there for hours, as the entertainment is varied and non-stop. In fact, the World Stage actually has three stages. While one is being used for performing, the other two are being loaded or unloaded for acts that have performed or are about to perform. The emcee is usually to the left or the right of the performance stage, so when an act is finished performing, the lights on the stage go out, and the light on the emcee comes on. The stage then rotates clock-wise and turns to the next stage. The World Stage has an incredible sound and light system, complete with video screens, which show multiple views and images of those performing.
Throughout the day, many entertainers who live on the property also take the stage for one or two songs or to perform a trick or two. Even comedians and other artists take the stage for a short time. Some big-name entertainers who aren’t performing at the Harmony Theater that day may perform part or all of their show on the World Stage, without announcement. Performing an entire show is usually advertised and done during special events.
We walked toward Show Town and entered through the massive arch that connects the two main attraction buildings (TV & Movie Stage Tour and Journey Through Sports). Right in front of you is The Comedic Co., a large building hosting the comedy museum and two comedy stages; one with tables and one with theater seating. There are also several restaurants; one being comedy themed with jokes being played on customers for entertainment and the other is a rooftop restaurant with splendid views of Show Town.
The Comedy Co. is in the middle of Show Town, as the rest of the attractions and theaters wrap around the perimeter. As we walked to our right, we started walking by the TV & Movie Stage Tour. This one-hour tour, featuring 16-passenger classic car vehicles, tours TV studios and soundstages. I will tell you more when we ride it another day.
The Journey Through Sports attraction, which is on the other side of the main Show Town Arch, has a similar style attraction as the TV & Movie Stage Tour but uses golf cart type vehicles to move you around. The attraction takes you right up to the action of NFL Pro Football, MLB Baseball, NHL Hockey, NBA Basketball, PGA Golf, and NASCAR Racing. You can see how big the pro football players really are as you go in between them in the “line of scrimmage.” Your 16-passenger golf cart will race down the football field sidelines next to a receiver, as he races out to catch a ball. In baseball, you are right next to the batter at home plate and see a fastball come in at 98 MPH. Experience a hockey game as you ride onto the ice and the players skate around you. All the people are created using computer holograms and special effects. You feel like you are literally in the middle of the action.
But, the best part of Journey Through Sports is at the end, where you go onto a NASCAR speedway. Hold your ears, because here come the cars, right by you at 180 MPH. Then, you can actually ride a NASCAR and travel that speed. Due to the intensity of this ride, it is optional. When you climb into the 12-seat cars, (they have doors, so you don’t have to climb through the window) they are already running. About 6 cars are racing at a time. While there are 6 cars on the track, other cars are loading in Pit Row, getting ready for the next race. When the Green Flag drops, you take off. The cars get up to speed quickly. (The track used to be used for an attraction called the Bullet Train and travels through a tunnel under the Complex, out toward the Hotel Guest Parking Garage and back). The cars race each other and get up to the top speed of 180 MPH, then slow a bit, take the 30-degree embankment, and head back. The computer controls each cars speed, so there is a different winner in every race. When you cross the finish line, you have your picture taken and hear the roar of the crowd. You even get to do a few donuts. What an adrenaline rush! You may have never traveled so fast on land before.
Sports also has a room called a Meet and Greet Room, similar to what the Author’s Nook, TV & Movie Stage Tour, and the Harmony Theater have; where fans can listen to their favorite author, sports hero, musician, actor, etc., talk about their lives and careers. They also do a Q and A with the audience. Around 10 – 15 lucky guests are randomly selected at the end to meet the entertainer personally, get a free picture with him or her, and an autograph, all at no charge.
The day I was visiting Sports, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the Sports’ Guest and had several Meet and Greets throughout the day. At the Authors’ Nook, Stephen King was the guest, and at the Harmony Theater, Bon Jovi and Neil Peart from Rush were each offering their fans a real treat. Jeff Probst, the host of Survivor, was the TV and Movie Stage Tour Meet and Greet guest. The guests are usually visiting on the property for a few weeks at a time and just like their concerts, will do 3 – 4 shows or appearances per week. All the meet and greets take reservations in advance. The Sports, Authors Nook, and TV and Movie Stage Tour meet and greets are free, but there is an additional charge for the Harmony Theater if they are serving desserts, lunches, or dinners. The price is around $10 - $15 for WOE Members and $15 - $25 for non-members.
Show Town offers the best entertainment anywhere on earth. I really mean that! Many of the shows are written, produced, and directed on-site. The shows that come to the Broadway Theater are usually visiting from other parts of the country or world. Houdini’s Theater is a 1,200-seat theater geared specifically toward magic shows. There are at least six shows a day with several different magicians or illusionists. You will see shows that put Vegas to shame. Houdini’s Theater and the Broadway Theater each have a Live band that plays during each performance. Each also has their own themed restaurant and museum, as well as TV and Movie Stage Tour, Comedy Co., and Journey Through Sports.
The shows are all included in the price of admission (except for the Harmony Theater), and you need reservations. Seating at any show is randomly selected or self-selected, based on your height. Also, with any show at WOE; if you are not there on time, which is 5-minutes before the scheduled start of the show, you will be giving up your seat to a standby guest. If you show up between 5-minutes before and 5-minutes after show time, you will be offered a seat in the very back. If there are no more seats in the back, then you’re out of luck. All shows start exactly on-time. But the 10-minutes window allows for tardiness. But don’t be foolish and think you can make the show 5-minutes after scheduled show time, the doors are closed and locked. And if this happened at the Harmony Theater, you just lost your money on your purchased tickets. The chance of you being able to reschedule a show in Show Town is rare, so you will need to wait in the Stand-by-line and see who doesn’t show up. If you’re in the Stand-by-line at the Harmony Theater, you will not be charged for tickets unless you get in and get a seat.
As I stated earlier, cell phones at The WOE are really frowned upon, since they can be disruptive and can take your mind off relaxing and enjoying a show. They don’t ban cell phones but make them difficult to operate in most places. WOE has the proprietary technology to block phone calls or text in the shows. If a guest is caught using their phone or camera in a show or attraction, the show staff will turn your call button (usually located on the back of the seat in front of you) from a dim gray to a yellow color, warning you to put it away. This warning includes excessive talking. The light will remain on for several minutes. If you get a red light, you are to leave the Theater. Show staff will be waiting for you at the end of the aisle to escort you out. This is all done in a control booth in the back and, since they know who is sitting in what seat, if you don’t leave, you are likely facing a suspension to the WOE.
My advice: If you’re staying overnight at one of the hotels, leave your phone in the hotel safe. Don’t look at it the whole time you’re there. If there is an emergency back home, they can call your hotel’s concierge, and the staff will send a message to your EAD. After all, you’re on vacation or are there to have an enjoyable time. Not seeing a distracting phone screen and have it take your mind and attention away from the show. I’ve heard that on one occasion, they paused a show to escort an entire group out of the Theater. They then had their memberships suspended for a year. Of course, this was for really being disruptive and rude to the performers. Apparently, they had been drinking in their hotel rooms and then came to the Complex. After most shows, the cast comes out to meet the exiting guests for a handshake or a picture.
The Broadway Theater seats 2,400 guests and runs about 3 – 4 shows a day. A few of the shows are from Broadway. When they are touring, they will stop at the WOE for at least a month, if not longer. Playing today is The Phantom of the Opera and Annie. They also have custom shows that become so popular, they run for seven to eight months a year. Many WOE actors have been offered good jobs on Broadway in NY, but most decline, because they just love what they’re doing and where they’re doing it at, the WOE.
One of the coolest shows in Show Town is in the Hologram Theater. This Theater usually offers 2 – 3 different shows a day, showing each show 2 – 3 times. The shows are all automated with lighting, sound, and special effects. The 1,600-seat arena has the most sophisticated light and sound system anywhere in the world. It has over 30 million LED lights, 2,000 lasers, 600 Harmony Speakers, wind, fire, pyrotechnics, and unbelievable engineering. There are arms of lights and screens that rise from beneath the floor and lower from the ceiling.
Even the walls and ceiling have lights built into them, as well as every seat in the Theater. But, here’s the best part; the seats move up and down on large platforms, giving you different views of the floor and surrounding area. Believe me when I say, this is no fountain show. The shows, no matter which one you see, will blow your mind. There can be screens on fire and hologram lasers shooting everywhere, with the LED lights showing pictures of outer space from floor to ceiling and all around you.
A warning: Never, ever, take any drugs, especially hallucinogenic drugs, before going to the Hologram Theater or the super dance club; Metamorphoses. On more than one occasion, they have had to remove a guest during a show because they started “freaking out.” The special effects are so real, you don’t need drugs to get you to believe you’re in a different zip code or planet. The shows last about 50 minutes and rotate. They bring in a new show every year and have themed shows for Independence Day (all of July), Halloween, and the Holidays.
After walking around for a while, we took the elevator to the roof of the Comedy Co. to eat lunch at The Comedic View. This restaurant overlooks the right-hand portion of Show Town, so you can see The TV and Movie Stage Tour, The Hologram Theater and Houdini’s Theater. If you’re using your meal plan, you can order any entrée from the menu.
The meal plan entitles you to breakfast, lunch, and dinner at any restaurant in the Complex. Drinks are always free, and you get plenty of food with each meal. You can also add extra food to your order and pay extra, but believe me, you usually won’t have room. You can have the breakfast buffet at your hotel, lunch at the Complex, and order dinner to your suite if you’d like. You are also entitled to snacks throughout the day and the midnight dessert buffet at your hotel, all with the food plan.
After just five minutes of looking at our menu, our waitress came over and introduced herself. “Hi, I’m Julie, and I’ll be taking care of you for lunch today. May I take your drink order and bring you a free appetizer?” The appetizer is included in the meal plan and includes Onion rings, mozzarella sticks, and a few others. The honey rolls were free. We could choose one appetizer because we had at least two people eating with the meal plan. For every two people eating, you get one free appetizer. She also said,” You can have the baked, instead of fried, if you’d like. That includes the fries and onion rings.” She also told us about the healthy section of the menu that had wraps and salads. All the food items had a calorie count and the number of points if you’re on Weight Watchers, for those who wanted to stay on their diets on vacation. Julie was so nice and covered everything on the menu since we had never eaten at a restaurant at the Complex before. She spent nearly five minutes going over everything. Then she said to take some time to make up our minds, and she would be back in a few minutes to take our order. But before she left, she told us about the call button at the table; a little device sitting in the middle of the table that has a button to call your waitress or waiter. This saves you from having to watch for them when they pass back around or wait for them to come back to check on you. If Julie needs to go on a break, she hands her call button transponder to whoever is covering for her, which is usually the “float” waiter or waitress.
There is no tipping, so all they care about is making sure your service is terrific. If Julie is talking with guests and her paging device goes off, she can just hit the “busy” button, and the table request will then go to the “floater.” Or, if the floater is covering for someone else, then the supervisor, who may handle the request themselves or assign it to someone else. Each request is handled within two minutes or less. Julie came back with our drinks and appetizer and took our order. Once she knew what we wanted, she gave us a payment device called the Payment Cube, which allowed us to pay using our finger with our food plan. If you have someone in your party that isn’t on the food plan, they can pay separately. Julie brought our food on a cart and had everything ready to go. The cart has extra napkins, plates, utensils, butter, and other condiments. The cart was stocked, and Julie was prepared. Each entrée was covered for protection from germs and temperature. Our meal was terrific and fattening. As I mentioned earlier, we love our fatty food, so watching our weight on this vacation was out the window.
Once we finished our meal, Julie came back to take our plates and asked if we wanted anything else. We said we were stuffed. But I did ask her if I could interview her since I was on a working vacation. She said she would love to and could take her break in five minutes and meet us in the employee lounge. As we did the day before, we just got up from the table and walked out. I could get so used to this! No bill to pay and no tip to leave.
We found the employee lounge next to the kitchen and met Julie again. She invited us to have a seat on the couch. There were a few more employees in there, but they didn’t seem to mind and even chimed in. I explained to her and the others who I was and what I was doing. I told her I was going to interview Steven C., and she immediately had a huge smile on her face.
I said, “You know Steven C?”
She said, “I know him. Everyone knows him.”
I asked her, “Is that because he is good or bad, that everyone knows him?”
She said, “Oh, very good! In fact, this place is here, and I’m here because of him.”
I asked her to explain what she meant.
“Steven C. is the creative mastermind behind everything here at the WOE. Most everyone has been positively impacted by this place,” said Julie.
“I’ve heard about him, and I have an interview set-up with him, but I don’t know much about him yet. It seems like he’s not a public person,” I said.
“He’s not. He rarely gives speeches or heads up meetings with employees. He’ll show up to them, but seldom talks in front of a crowd.”
Jennifer asked Julie, “What is his official title or job responsibilities?”
“He’s referred to as the Executive Director of Entertainment and sometimes the President of Operations. No one knows exactly, because he never sends out e-mails that have a title after his name. He just signs his e-mails as Steven C. He’s not even listed in the management flow chart, but he can tell anyone what to do, and he can never be fired.”
Another employee in the employee lounge who overheard us, named Bobbie said, “Steven C. comes up with all the great ideas, everything from the attractions, shows, employee health care, the living community. Then he shares them with the members of management and the engineers, who then implement the idea or make changes. He’s also terrific with remembering names and can recall certain things about you from a conversation you had with him three years ago.”
Julie then said, “This place saved me and my family’s lives. They took my husband, son, and I from living in our car and gave us a place to stay with good jobs.”
I said, “How’d that happen?” Julie then told me her story.
“Three years ago, we were living in New York City. My husband, Jeb, was a lawyer for a big financial firm making over six figures a year. Our son, Jacob, was in private school, and I was a stay-at-home mom. Jeb’s firm got caught up in a federal inquiry and was then forced to pay millions in fines for illegal activities. The bad press caused the company to lose business, and subsequently, they down-sized.” Julie continued, “Jeb always thought something wasn’t right, but wasn’t that close to the situation to really know for sure. Once he lost his job, no one wanted to hire him because of all the negative publicity. Within six months, we had to move out of our apartment in New York City and into an apartment in New Jersey. I started waitressing to bring in some money. Jeb still couldn’t find work and tried taking his own life by shooting himself in the head. Fortunately, he didn’t kill himself but was in the ICU for six months. With no health insurance, we were sued by the hospital and lost everything but our older model car. I used to shower at rest stops, and we washed our clothes at laundry mats. We lived in our car for three weeks, because even though I was still working as a waitress, our credit was ruined, and we couldn’t get or afford another apartment.
Then one day, I waited on a customer named Roy. He told me he was an employee scout for the WOE and thought I was a great waitress. I told him my story, but he told me he already knew it. He said he talked to others who knew me. I knew it couldn’t have been my parents or Jeb’s parents, because we didn’t tell them what happened because of our pride and a few differences we had had with them in the past. Roy asked if I was interested in trying a temporary move to the WOE for three months and seeing how things work out. I said. ‘I’d love too!’”
Julie continued on and said, “The next day, Roy came back to the diner and handed me all the information, including plane tickets and $1,500. He said to get some new clothes and rent a hotel until the trip and donate the car. One week later, we were here and were put up in the employee apartments. Jeb was given a job in their legal department and gets medical treatment when he needs it, and I got a job waitressing here. Our son goes to school on the property. After the three-month trial, they moved us into a larger apartment, and soon, we will get a small house on the property. All paid for.”
Jennifer, Sally and I all sat there with our mouths open. I said, “That’s remarkable!”
Julie said, “That’s WOE. And Steven C. is behind how this place operates.”
Julie had to get back to work. So, we thanked and hugged her goodbye.
What a story and what a turn-around in someone’s life. As we headed back to our room for a rest, I said to Jennifer, “That was amazing!”
She said, “This place is amazing.”
I couldn’t wait to hear more stories and meet Steven C. This is going to be a truly remarkable experience.